Nigral iron deposition in common tremor disorders. Issue 1 (10th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Homayoon, Nina; Pirpamer, Lukas; Franthal, Sebastian; Katschnig‐Winter, Petra; Kögl, Mariella; Seiler, Stephan; Wenzel, Karoline; Hofer, Edith; Deutschmann, Hannes; Fazekas, Franz; Langkammer, Christian; Ropele, Stefan; Schmidt, Reinhold; Schwingenschuh, Petra
• Is Part Of: Movement disorders. Volume 34:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 129
• Page End: 132
• Publication Date: 2018-12-10
• Subjects: brain iron accumulation -- essential tremor -- tremor‐dominant Parkinson's disease -- tremor in dystonia -- R2 Star; Movement disorders -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.27549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-3185

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Objective: We investigated R2* relaxation rates as a marker of iron content in the substantia nigra in patients with common tremor disorders and explored their diagnostic properties. Methods: Mean nigral R2* rates were measured in 40 patients with tremor‐dominant Parkinson's disease (PD), 15 with tremor in dystonia, 25 with essential tremor, and 25 healthy controls. Results: Tremor‐dominant PD patients had significantly higher nigral R2* values (34.1 ± 5.7) than those with tremor in dystonia (30.0 ± 3.9), essential tremor (30.6 ± 4.8), and controls (30.0 ± 2.8). An R2* threshold of 31.15 separated tremor‐dominant PD from controls with a sensitivity and specificity of 67.5% and 72%. The sensitivity and specificity for discrimination between PD and non‐PD tremor patients was 67.5% and 60%. Conclusion: Iron content in the substantia nigra is significantly higher in tremor‐dominant PD than in tremor in dystonia, essential tremor, and controls. Because of the considerable overlap, nigral R2* cannot be suggested as a useful diagnostic tool. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.